Eco-cri met with Eskom and Rotran at Camden Power Station, not more than two weeks ago, to discuss the bad behaviour of coal transporting truck drivers on the roads.  It would seem that the concerns of Eco-cri fell on deaf ears, as a driver of Mziki Transport, who was transporting coal on Sunday, 24 July, was the cause of a train accident in Havenga Street.
A truck driver form Anton le Roux Transport was driving down Havenga Street, towards the Piet Retief road, at approximately 05:50 and slowed down at the railway crossing.  He saw the light of a train approaching from the right and halted at the stop sign.  According to him, soon after he came to a stop he heard the train’s whistle.  He looked in his rearview mirror and could not believe what he was seeing.  Approaching from the back was a loaded Mziki coal transporting truck at a speed, and on the wrong side of the road.  The Mziki truck sped past the stationary truck, in the path of the oncoming train.  According to the driver of the stationary truck the coal transporting truck driver did not even attempt to stop or slow down.  The train hit the truck and it fell on its side, with the last trailer swinging around and crashing into the cab of the stationary truck.  The driver of the stationary truck reversed his truck to get out of harms way as the other truck fell over and forced the train to a halt.  The drivers of both trucks were fortunately not injured, although the Mziki driver was taken to hospital for observation.    
“We warned Rotran that this would happen, fortunately no one was seriously injured, but it is unnecessary damages caused.  We are very concerned, as the behaviour of some truck drivers are nothing short of negligent,” Mr Athol Stark, Provincial Chairman of the Road Safety Council, said at the accident scene.  AS

Last week the Tribune discussed the general objectives of the Nema (National Environmental Management Act) and listed activities for which authorisation is required.  It should be noted that persons or companies who have engaged in listed activities without the required authorisation may ex post facto apply for such authorisation, but they would have to pay an administrative fine of up to R1 million before such application would be considered. Apart from such a fine, criminal prosecution may still be instituted.
Chapter 7 of this Act stipulates that every person who cause, has caused or may cause significant pollution or degradation of the environment, must take reasonable measurements to prevent such pollution or degradation and to rectify it.  This obligation includes an owner of land or premises, a person in control thereof or the person who has a right to use the land or premises.  The measures to implement in order to comply with this obligation, include but are not limited, measures to investigate, assess and evaluate the impact on the environment, to inform and educate employees about the environmental risks of their work and the manner in which their tasks must be performed, to avoid causing pollution or degradation of the environment, to cease, modify or control any act which is the cause of the pollution or degradation, to eliminate the source of pollution and to remedy the effects of the pollution or degradation.  Failure to comply with the said provisions may result in the governmental department issuing a directive against such a perpetrator and or, take remedial steps to prevent the pollution and to recover such costs from the perpetrator.
A person who unlawfully and intentionally or negligently commits any act or omission which causes, or is likely to cause pollution or degradation of the environment, could face prosecution and upon conviction, be fined up to R1 million or be jailed.  LM

Residents of a flat in Lion Cachet Street were struck by tragedy, when a fire started in their flat and destroyed nearly all their possessions.
According to Mr Johan Erasmus, who lives with his wife, Lenie, in the flat, Lenie and Johan’s mother, Ralie Joubert, had gone to town just before 11:00 on Tuesday, 5 July, while Johan was at work.  When the women returned home an hour later, thick smoke was bellowing from the flat.  The bedroom in the flat, which is situated next to Johan’s parents’ house in the same yard, was aflame.  Lenie phoned the Msukaligwa Fire Department via the municipal call-centre and two fire trucks sped to the scene of the fire. “The fire department was here really fast and ten minutes later, the fire had been extinguished.  The team of fire fighters salvaged all they could from the living room, before dousing the whole flat, ensuring that the fire was out,” Johan explained, obviously pained by the loss. 
The roof of the bedroom had collapsed and fire fighters focussed on saving what was left in the kitchen and livingroom.  Johan and Lenie recently renovated the flat and have paid R60 000 for new furniture.  Johan estimates the total loss to be close to R100 000.  “We have insurance, but will never get back personal items that we lost,” he said.
Johan and Lenie are not the only ones who suffered loss as Johan’s dad, Kallie Joubert, the owner of the flat, also met with great loss.  Kallie offered for Johan and Lenie to stay in the house until the flat can be made habitable.
“We accept what has happened to us and accept it is God’s will.  We have to go on and build our life again.  Our sincere thanks goes to the local fire department for their quick response, as well as the guys from Leader Truck Bodies for their help during our ordeal,” Johan concluded, ready to tackle life full-on.  LM

The tragic vehicle accident in which six labourers lost their lives near Lothair on Tuesday, 28 June (Tribune, Tuesday, 5 July - Horrific accident claims six lives), has thankfully claimed no more lives with injured workers still recuperating in hospital after the ordeal. The 17 workers were being transported to Lawa Estate Farm, near Mayflower, when the driver of the Izuzu bakkie, Wonder-boy Nkosinathi Dlamini, lost control over the bakkie and it overturned. According to Mrs Debbie Mason of Lawa, 14 of the workers were seated in the back of the bakkie and the other three occupants were seated in the front. When the bakkie overturned, many of the occupants were flung in all directions and two passengers, Sibusiso Director Nkosi and Zodwa Lesaiah Kunene, died at the scene. Another four workers, Wonder-Boy Dlamini, Joyce Nkosi, Sindiswa Vincent Buthelezi and Pikinini Zephania Kunene, died at the hospital. Another eight passengers were seriously injured and three were slightly injured. A funeral service was held for the deceased on Sunday, 3 July, at Silindile in Lothair. LM